Remote control devices, methods for operating remote control devices and remote control device management systems for managing the remote control devices

ABSTRACT

A remote control device for remotely controlling a target device to be controlled is provided. The remote control device includes a main software module configured to provide a code to identify an IR library code to a management software module; the management software module configured to provide the IR library code to the main software module, wherein the main software module is configured to generate IR remote control signals based on the IR library code and transmit the IR remote control signals to the target device.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to Korean Patent Application No.10-2022-0051483, filed Apr. 26, 2022, the entire contents of which isincorporated herein for all purposes by this reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to remote control devices for remotelycontrolling a target device to be controlled, methods for operating theremote control devices, and a remote control device management systemfor managing the remote control devices. Also, the present disclosurerelates to remote control device management system for activating alicense for an infrared (IR) library database (DB) installed in a remotecontrol device.

BACKGROUND

In general, various electronic devices are provided in home or officeand are used to lead a convenient life. For example, there areelectronic devices that can be connected to various devices, such asvideocassette recorders (VCRs), Digital Video Disc (DVD) players,Blu-ray Disc® players, DivX® players, set-top boxes, personal computers,home theaters, and so on.

The numbers of such electronic devices described above are graduallyincreasing. These electronic devices described above have a plurality ofoperation buttons thereon and are accompanied by their respective remotecontrol devices for remote control operations.

One or more remote control devices are necessary for each electronicdevice. Thus, in order to operate multiple electronic devices, a userneeds to have remote control devices by the number of such electronicdevices. Because of the increasing number of remote control devices,some of the remote control devices happen to be lost which disablesusers to operate their electronic devices.

Generally, an electronic device receives infrared remote control signalswirelessly transmitted from the remote control device, detects a customcode and a data code of the remote control signal, and then performs anoperation corresponding to the detected codes. The remote controlsignals for controlling the operation of the target external device areusually stored in the remote control device.

However, as described above, the remote control signals for operatingand controlling the target external devices are stored in the remotecontrol device, so that new remote control signals cannot be updatedeasily. In addition, even if the electronic devices are the same type ofa product, since the remote control signals are different from amanufacturer to a manufacturer, the inconvenience of using it in thehome is actually very significant.

BRIEF SUMMARY

One object of the present disclosure is to provide methods of managing aremote control signal database installed in a remote control device.

Another object of the present disclosure is to provide methods oflearning new remote control signal database and updating the remotecontrol signal database installed in the remote control device.

Yet another object of the present disclosure is to provide methods ofactivating the remote control signal database installed in the remotecontrol device.

In one aspect, a remote control device for remotely controlling a targetdevice to be controlled, includes a main software module configured toprovide a code to identify an IR library code to a management softwaremodule; the management software module configured to provide the IRlibrary code to the main software module, wherein the main softwaremodule is configured to generate IR remote control signals based on theIR library code and transmit the IR remote control signals to the targetdevice.

In the remote control device management method for a remote controldevice according to the present disclosure, the remote control devicemanagement system stores the Infrared library database (IRDB) in acertain region in the control module of the remote control device, sothere is an advantage that there is no need for a separate space tostore the IRDB.

In addition, the present disclosure has the advantage of maintaining acertain level of security, because the remote control signal informationstored in the IRDB can be activated only by the license activation.Also, it can accurately count the number of accesses to the IRDB by thenumber of the license activations, thus accurate billings becomepossible based on the total number of the accesses to the IRDB.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a schematic diagram of a remote controldevice management system, according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a schematic diagram of a remote controldevice, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a schematic diagram of a control modulein the remote control device, according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 4 illustrates a schematic diagram showing a list of informationwhich the main software module provides to the management softwaremodule, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of learning remote control information bythe remote control device, according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of the remote control signals generatedbased on the information provided by management software module,according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of another remote control signalsgenerated based on different remote control information provided by themanagement software module, according to one embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The foregoing and other aspects of the present disclosure will becomemore clearly apparent through preferred embodiments described withreference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, embodiments of thepresent disclosure will be described in detail such that those skilledin the art can easily understand and reproduce them.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a schematic diagram of a remote controldevice management system according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure.

The remote control device management system 100 includes remote controldevice 110, gateway 120, and external server 130. It is also possiblethat gateway 120 may be embedded into remote control device 110.

Remote control device 110 includes storage module 110 b and controlmodule 110 a. It is noted that remote control device 110 may includeother modules in addition to these modules. As an example, remotecontrol device 110 may include communication modules (e.g., LED emittingdiodes and photodetectors) for wireless communication with targetexternal devices.

The storage module 110 b includes a memory device to store the necessarysoftware programs and database for operating remote control device 110therein. The software program stored in the storage module may be storedat the manufactured time in advance or may be provided by an externaldevice after the manufactured time and then be stored.

Control module 110 a include one or more processors and memories tostore necessary control software programs and databases. Control module110 a may be composed of a single module or multiple modules. The firstand second regions may be preferably logically separated if they are notphysically separated. In the case of a single module, control module 110a may be partitioned into first region 201 and second region 202.

The first region 201 is installed with the main software module foroperating remote control device 110, and the second region 202 isinstalled with the management software module and a remote controlsignal database (i.e., an IR library database). The management softwaremodule manages the IR library database (IRDB) which stores a list of IRlibrary codes for generating IR remote control signals for controllingvarious target devices according to respective remote control commands.

The IR library database installed in the second region 202 is describedin detail below. In order to control the target external device usingthe IR library database installed in the second region 202, the secondregion 202 may require a license activation for the stored IR librarydatabase code remote control signal information corresponding to thetarget external device to be controlled. In other words, the IR librarydatabase installed in remote control device 110 is initiallyinactivated, and the IR library codes can be transmitted to the mainsoftware module 201 only after the IR library database is activated witha license key code.

Accordingly, remote control device 110, particularly, the main softwaremodule controls the commination module to send a request for a licenseactivation for the IRDB to the gateway 120. That is, remote controldevice 110 transmits a license activation request to the gateway 120 instep S11. The license activation request may be accompanied with thefirst remote control device information for identifying the remotecontrol device and first IR library information for identifying theIRDB. As an example, the first remote control device informationincludes a model number of the remote control device, and the IR libraryinformation may include a version of the IR library DB to be activated.

Gateway 120 forwards the license activation request to external server130 with first remote control device information and first infrared (IR)library information in step S12. Gateway 120 also may transmit theunique information of the gateway to the external server 130. The uniqueinformation of the gateway may be an identifier including an identifieror password of the gateway, and the identifier may be a uniqueidentifier, such as an identifier set by an administrator or a serialnumber of the gateway.

Upon receiving the license activation request, external server 130determines whether remote control device 110 is eligible for a licenseon the IR library database. If remote control device 110 is eligible,external server 130 sends back the license activation information to thegateway 120 in step S13. The license activation information includessecond remote control device information, second IR library informationand a license activation key code for activating the IR librarydatabase. The license activation information may be encrypted by anencryption algorithm stored in external server 130, which is symmetricalwith the decryption algorithm stored in remote control device 110.

Gateway 120 receives the encrypted license activation information fromthe external server 130 and forwards the encrypted license activationinformation to remote control device 110 in step S14.

Remote control device 110 receives the license activation informationfrom the external server 130 via the gateway 120. Subsequently, the mainsoftware module provides the received license activation information tothe management software module.

When the license activation information is encrypted, the managementsoftware module may decrypt the license activation information by adecryption algorithm to extract the second remote control deviceinformation, the second IR library information and the licenseactivation key code. The management software module compares thedecrypted remote control device information and IR library informationwith the transmitted remote control device information and IR libraryinformation. In other words, the management software module activates alicense for the IRDB only when the second remote control deviceinformation and second IR library information match the first remotecontrol device information and first IR library information,respectively. To do this decryption, the management software moduleincludes the decryption algorithm corresponding to the encryptionalgorithm.

Once the IRDB is activated, when the main software module requests an IRlibrary code for a certain remote control command, the managementsoftware module 201 retrieves the requested IR library code from theIRDB, and provides the IR library code to the main software module.

FIG. 2 illustrates an example of a schematic diagram of remote controldevice 110 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 2 , the components of remote controldevice 110 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will bedescribed.

Remote control device 110 includes control module 110 a, storage module110 b, communication module 110 c, indication module 110 d, and inputmodule 110 e. It is noted that other configurations other than thosedescribed above may be included in remote control device 110.

Display module 110 d includes a display screen to display the currentstatus of remote control device 110 or to display the informationrequested by control module 110 a. Display module 110 d also displaysvarious information under the control of control module 110 a. Forexample, display module 110 d displays the current time, weather, andenvironmental information inside the house. In addition, display module110 d displays information regarding the target electronic devices underremote control.

Input module 110 e may be equipped with buttons, touch panels, and thelike. Input module 110 e may perform the function of a display wheninput module 110 e is equipped with a touch panel. The user may requestinformation necessary for the remote control device using input module110 e. That is, input module 110 e inputs a signal requesting control ofthe target device.

In addition, input module 110 e may include a microphone, and mayreceive voice inputs through the microphone as remote control commands.In addition, a specific signal may be inputted through communicationwith an external device (user terminal) without the configuration of abutton or touch panel.

The communication module 110 c performs communication with the externalserver 120 via the gateway 120. As described above, the communicationmodule 110 c transmits a license activation request to the externalserver 130 via the gateway 120, and receives license activationinformation from the external server 130 via the gateway 120. Thecommunication module 110 c may include an infrared light emitting diode(LED) to perform communication with the target external device bytransmitting IR signals for controlling the target external device.

In addition, remote control device 110 may store the IR library databasein the second region 202 which was installed at the manufactured time ofthe remote control device. The IR library database includes a list of IRlibrary codes for each of remote control device models, targetelectronic device models, and remote control commands. Thus, the remotecontrol device controls any one of the target electronic devices byreferring to the IR library database.

However, if the IR library database installed in remote control device110 is not able to be updated, remote control device 110 would have aproblem in remotely controlling target external devices that are notsupported by the IR library database that was installed at themanufactured time of remote control device 110 or that are new devicesreleased after the manufactured time.

Accordingly, remote control device 110 according to one embodiment ofthe present disclosure may update the remote control signal informationstored in the second region by learning from another remote controldevice.

In specific, the communication module 110 c with an IR sensor detectsS51 the remote control signals transmitted from another remote controldevice in which the remote control signals to be learned are stored.Then, control module 110 a extracts the IR library code from thereceived remote control signals and stores S53 the extracted IR librarycode in the second region 202.

The storage module 110 b stores the necessary software programs foroperating remote control device 110. The software programs stored in thestorage module 110 b may be stored at the manufactured time or may beprovided later from an external device.

Control module 110 a is partitioned into a first and a second region.The first region is operated by the main software module that drives theremote control device, and the second region is operated by themanagement software module that manages the remote control signal. Thefirst region is installed with the main software module for controllingthe remote control device, and the second region is installed withmanagement software module for managing the IR library database. Inaddition, the second region stores the remote control signal forcontrolling the various controlled devices.

As such, control module 110 a performs some of the functions of thestorage module 110 b, or control module 110 a performs only the controlfunctions, and the storage function may be performed in the storagemodule 110 b.

However, when the remote control signal information is stored in thestorage module, the control of the remote control signal information maybe handled by the management software module, and it is preferably nothandled by the main software module. Each of control module 110 a andthe storage module 110 b may be implemented with a processor, a memorysuch as ROM and RAM, firmware and appropriate software.

In addition, the main software module analyzes the voice input toextract a remote control command and requests the IR library codecorresponding to the remote control command to the management softwaremodule in step S31. Subsequently, the management software module 201retrieves the requested IR library code from the IRDB, and provides theIR library to the main software module in step S33.

FIG. 3 illustrates an example of a schematic diagram of control module110 a in remote control device 110 according to one embodiment of thepresent disclosure. Hereinafter, referring to FIG. 3 , a control moduleconstituting a remote control device according to an embodiment of thepresent disclosure.

In particular, according to FIG. 3 , control module 110 a in remotecontrol device 110 may be divided into the first region 201 and thesecond region 202, the first region 201 is installed with the mainsoftware module, the second region 202 is installed with managementsoftware module, in which the remote control signals for controlling aplurality of target external devices to be remotely controlled, asdescribed above.

The main software module analyzes voice commands, button inputs, touchinputs or the other type inputs inputted from input module 110 e, andextracts respective remote control commands. The main software modulesends a request for an IR library code corresponding to the extractedremote control command to the management software module in step S31.For example, if a voice input is “Turn on the OO (a manufacturer's name)company TV,” the main software module sends a request for an IR librarycode for turning on the OO company TV to the management software module.

The management software module provides the IR library code to the mainsoftware module in step S33. The IR library code can include a carrierpulse unit period, the total number of pulses to be generated, and a setof pulse duration data comprising alternating high and low pulseduration values. Then, the main software module calculates each of pulsedurations for respective high and low pulses that constitute the IRremote control signals, by multiplying the carrier pulse unit periodwith each of pulse duration data. The high pulses refer to pulses with acertain non-zero amplitude higher than a threshold (such as a ratio of0.5 of the highest possible amplitude/the lowest possible amplitude ofan IR pulse) and the lower pulses refer to pulses with zero amplitude oramplitudes lower than the threshold.

FIG. 4 illustrates another schematic diagram showing a list ofinformation that the main software module provides to the managementsoftware module along with a request for an IR library code, accordingto one embodiment of the present disclosure. When receiving the requestwith the list of information in step S31, the management software moduleprovides an IR library code the corresponding to the list of to theinformation to main software module in step S33.

In one embodiment, the list of information may be composed of a categorycode, a device code, and a key code. The category code indicates aclassification of a target device to be remotely controlled, such as,TVs, set top boxes (STBs), air purifiers, air conditioners, fans, and soon. The device code refers to a code number of the target device, whichincludes a manufacturer identity. The key code refers to a key serialnumber of the remote control device that controls the target device. Inaddition, the main software module also transmits voice data to themanagement software module, if necessary. The voice data refers to avoice command inputted from a user, such as “setting an air conditionerto a certain temperature degree.” If the main software module is notcapable of processing voice data, the main software module can send anotification indicating no voice processing capability to the managementsoftware module.

The list of information may be a combination code of a category code, adevice code, and a key code.

As an example, the combination code for a channel up (“UP”) for an LG®TV may be composed of: “1” (the category code for TVs), “001” (thedevice code for manufacturer LG®), and “8” (the key code for a channelup), which produces “100018”

As another example, the combination code for changing the channel of anLG® TV to Ch. 23 is composed of “1” (the category code for TVs), “ 001”(the device code for manufacturer “A”), key code “12” (the code fortenths digit “2”) and key code “13” (the code for ones digit “3”), whichproduces “100011213.”

As yet another example, the code for a volume up (UP) for manufactureA's STB, the category code is composed of “2” (the category code forSTBs), the device code is “001” (the device code for manufacturer LG®),and the key code is “6” (a code for a volume up), which produces“20016.”

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of learning a new IR library code by theremote control device 110, according to an embodiment of the presentdisclosure. In particular, the figure shows that the main softwaremodule and management software module in the remote control device 110learn the remote control information. As described above, the remotecontrol device 110 proceeds with a learning process for remote controlinformation that is not stored therein, and stores the remote controlinformation in the second region through the learning process.

The main software module may receive and capture IR remote controlsignals transmitted by another remote control device 150 (shown in FIG.1 ) for a certain time. In order to do so, the remote control device 110enters the remote control signal reception mode to detect and capturethe IR remote control signals with photodetectors in the communicationmodule 110 c. Subsequently, the main software module measures respectivehigh-pulse and low pulse durations (i.e., widths) in the detected IRremote control signals and extracts a carrier unit period and a set ofpulse duration data for alternating high and low pulses. In oneembodiment, the carrier unit period can be calculated as a greatestcommon divisor of all of the high-pulse and low pulse durations, and theset of pulse duration (i.e., width) data can be calculated by dividingeach of the high-pulse and low pulse durations by the greatest commondivisor.

The main software module provides the extracted carrier pulse unitperiod and the set of alternating high and low pulse duration as alearned IR library code to the management software module. Themanagement software module may add the learned IR library code to the IRlibrary database in the second region 202. Alternatively, managementsoftware module may store the learned IR library code in a separateposition in a different format from the existing IR library database.

That is, the remote control information stored in the second area at thetime of manufacture of the remote control device is stored in the firstformat, while the remote control information generated through learningis stored in the second format. Of course, the main software module canknow whether the remote control information is stored in the 1st formator in the 2nd format. That is, the main software module determines thatthe remote control information generated through learning is stored inthe second format.

As such, the remote control device proposed in the present disclosurestores the remote control information in the 2nd area managed by themanagement software module through the learning of the remote controlinformation.

FIG. 6 illustrates an example of IR remote control signal informationprovided by management software module according to one embodiment ofthe present disclosure. Hereinafter, one example of an IR library codeprovided in step 33 by the management software module will be described.

The management software module provides, to the main software module, anIR library code including a carrier pulse unit period, a total number ofpulses, and a set of pulse duration data for alternating high and lowpulses.

As an example of an IR library code, when the carrier pulse unit periodis 25,600 ns, and the total number of the pulses which are therepetitions of respective high and low pulses is 76, the IR remotecontrol signals are generated as follow.

-   -   1) Carrier pulse unit period=26500 ns    -   2) The total number of pulses=76    -   3) The set of pulse duration data for alternating high and low        pulses, which totals to 76 pulses:        -   {340, 168, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 64, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21,            21, 21,        -   21, 21, 21, 64, 21, 21, 21, 64, 21, 64, 21, 64, 21, 64,        -   21, 64, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 64, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21, 21,            64,        -   21, 64, 21, 64, 21, 64, 21, 21, 21, 64, 21, 64, 21, 64, 21,            21,        -   21, 21, 21, 1545, 340, 85, 21, 3660, 340, 85, 21, 3660}.    -   4) The pulse durations (i.e., widths) for the alternating high        and low pulses are calculated by multiplying each pulse duration        (i.e., width) data by the carrier pulse unit period:        -   Data [0]: 340×26500 ns=approximately 9 ms (High pulse)        -   Data [1]: 168×26500 ns=approximately 4.5 ms (Low pulse)        -   Data [2]: 21×26500 ns=approximately 0.56 ms (High pulse)        -   Data [3]: 21×26500 ns=approximately 0.56 ms (Low pulse)        -   . . .        -   Data [74]: 21×26500 ns=approximately 0.56 ms (High pulse)        -   Data [75]: 3660×26500 ns=approximately 97 ms (Low pulse)

The main software module generates remote control signals, which are therepetitions of the high and low pulses, using the remote control signalinformation provided by the management software module.

The main software module generates remote control signals that arerepetitions of the high and low pulses. In particular, the main softwaremodule calculates high pulse durations and low pulse durations, usingthe carrier pulse unit period and a set of pulse duration data. In theabove embodiment, the first pulse (high pulse) duration (i.e., timelength): 25,600 ns*340 (the first value (Data [0]) in the dataset)=about 9 ms, the second pulse (low pulse) duration: 25.600 ns*168(the second value in the data set)=about 4.5 ms, the third pulse (highpulse) duration: 25,600 ns*21=about 0.56 ms, the fourth pulse (lowpulse) duration: 25.600 ns*21=about 0.56 ms, and does the samemultiplication for all remaining pulse duration data until to obtain the76^(th) pulse duration. The set of pulse duration data may havedifferent values for different remote control operations, such as avolume up/down or a channel up/down, and so on.

By this way, the main software module generates the remote controlsignals which are the repetitions of the respective high pulses and lowpulses in order to remotely control the target external device undercontrol.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example of another IR remote control signals 700generated based on a different IR library code for a different remotecontrol command, according to one embodiment of the present disclosure.

As described above, the present disclosure enables license activation ofthe license-inactivated remote control signal DB stored in themanagement software module, and provides information corresponding tothe remote control signal stored in the activated remote control signalDB to the main software module. The main software module generatesremote control signals from the information provided, and transmits thegenerated remote control signals to remotely control the device undercontrol.

Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to theembodiments shown in the figures, these are only illustrative and one ofordinary skill in the art will understand that various modifications andeven other embodiments are possible.

DESCRIPTIONS OF THE REFERENCE NUMBERS

-   -   100: Remote control device management system    -   110: Remote control device    -   120: Gateway    -   130: External server    -   110 a: Control module    -   110 b: Storage module    -   110 c: Communication module    -   110 d: Display module    -   110 e: Input module

1. A method of transmitting infrared (IR) remote control signals to atarget external device to be controlled by a remote control device inwhich a main software module and a management software module areinstalled, the method comprising: providing, by the main softwaremodule, a code to identify an IR library code to the main softwaremodule; providing, by the management software module, the IR librarycode to the main software module; and transmitting, to the targetexternal device, IR remote control signals generated based on the IRlibrary code by the main software module.
 2. The method of claim 1,wherein the code includes a category code, a device code and a key code.3. The method of claim 1, wherein the IR library code comprises acarrier unit period, a total number of pulses, and a set of pulseduration data for alternating high and low pulses.
 4. The method ofclaim 3, further comprising: calculating respective pulse durations ofalternating high and low pulses by multiplying the carrier pulse unitperiod with each pulse duration data.
 5. The method of claim 1, whereinfurther comprising detecting another IR remote control signalstransmitted from another remote control device during a certain periodof time, and extracting a carrier unit period and a set of pulseduration data for alternating high and low pulses from the other IRremote control signals.
 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the mainsoftware module is configured to provide the extracted carrier pulseunit period, and the set of pulse duration data for high and low pulsesto the management software module, and the management software modulestores the extracted carrier pulse unit period, and the set of pulseduration data as a new IR library code.
 7. A method of transmittinginfrared (IR) remote control signals to a target external device to becontrolled by a remote control device in which a main software module isinstalled in a first region and a management software module isinstalled in a second region, the method comprising: installing a firstlR library database in a first format into the second region; detectinganother IR remote control signals transmitted from another remotecontrol device during a certain period of time; extracting a carrierunit period and a set of pulse duration data for alternating high andlow pulses from the other IR remote control signals; providing theextracted carrier pulse unit period, and set of pulse duration data forhigh and low pulses to the management software module; and storing theextracted carrier pulse unit period, and set of pulse duration data as alearned IR library code in a second format in the second region.
 8. Aremote control device for remotely controlling a target device to becontrolled, comprising: a main software module configured to provide acode to identify an IR library code to a management software module; themanagement software module configured to provide the IR library code tothe main software module, wherein the main software module is configuredto generate IR remote control signals based on the IR library code andtransmit the IR remote control signals to the target device.